Highlights - Dundee United 3-1 Aberdeen

By Clive Lindsay

Dundee United moved into the top six by deservedly ending Aberdeen's unbeaten run in an exciting Tannadice encounter.

Barry Douglas headed United's opener from a 29th-minute Craig Conway corner while the Dons were down to 10 men with Zander Diamond off injured.

Goalkeeper Jamie Langfield allowed a Conway drive to slip out of his grasp and into the net four minutes later.

Josh Magennis replied from close range six minutes after the break, but Danny Swanson fired home on the hour mark.

Defeat for Aberdeen not only ended their run of four games unbeaten without conceding a goal but all but ends their outside hopes of finishing in the top six.

Meanwhile, in extending their own unbeaten run to four games, United have leapfrogged Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Motherwell into fifth spot as the Scottish Premier League nears its split into two sections of two for the final round of games.

United had been forced to make a change in defence, with Paul Dixon missing out through illness and being replaced with Timothy van der Meulen.

Diamond was forced out of the game with a head knock

Prince Buaben returned to add experience to midfield in place of Stuart Armstrong, while Mihael Kovacevic was on the bench for the first time since being injured during pre-season.

Aberdeen also made two changes, with Diamond and Derek Young starting in place of Rory McArdle and Nick Blackman.

Diamond had shaken off an ankle injury to play but was back in the wars after seven minutes while coming close to an opening goal.

Goalkeeper Dusan Pernis instinctively blocked the central defender's powerful 12-yard attempt from a Rob Milsom corner with his legs, but Diamond was left pole-axed with blood pouring from the top of his nose.

It was Diamond's turn to return to the field wearing a red bandage - McArdle having sported the look in the last two games after his own head knock against Hearts.

David Goodwillie had flashed a shot across the face of the Dons goal in Diamond's absence and the defender was lucky not to suffer a swift return to the dressing-room after following through with his studs on Buaben and receiving only a yellow card.

The game itself was switching swiftly from end-to-end without either side creating clear-cut chances.

However, with Diamond off the field for further treatment, Douglas rose at the front post to direct the ball into the net off a combination of head and shoulder from Conway's corner, with television pictures showing that Aberdeen's Paul Hartley had been shoved to the ground in the goalmouth melee.

United went close to a second when a low drive from Morgaro Gomis struck the near post and rebounded off the back of Langfield before slipping wide.

Another goal was not long in coming, though, by which time the Aberdeen physio had given up his attempt to stem the flow of blood from Diamond's head, with McArdle coming on in his place sporting a head bandage of his own.

Langfield was at fault this time round, as Conway's powerful drive spun out of the goalkeeper's grasp and over the goal-line.

Ryan Jack threatened a quick response, but the Aberdeen midfielder's powerful drive from the edge of the box was blocked by Pernis at the near post.

Swanson went close with a dipping 20-yard drive that crept just over immediately after the break, but it was Aberdeen who were next to strike.

Dons boss Craig Brown had replaced the anonymous Sone Aluko with Magennis at half-time and the Northern Irishman brought his side back into the game.

Scott Vernon used his strength to beat two United defenders to the ball inside the box and, when he turned it back into the six-yard box from the bye-line, Magennis headed home from four yards out.

United were rattled and almost immediately conceded another, but Pernis did well to push clear a thundering 22-yard drive from Milsom.

Conway was forced off with an injury, to be replaced with Andis Shala, but two moments of brilliance from Goodwillie turned the game back in United's favour.

The striker's spectacular overhead kick from six yards came off the inside of the junction of the bar and post and, as the Dons struggled to clear, Goodwillie's chip set up Swanson for a superb half-volley into the far corner with the outside of his boot.

Magennis was proving a handful with his powerful running and his low drive was turned round the post off the legs of Pernis.

United's cries for a penalty fell on deaf ears after Goodwillie went down in the box, but nothing could prevent them starting a run of five games in 12 days with a win as they catch up on the matches they have in hand on the teams around them in the table.

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